erpdude8

what about KUbuntu, alacran (it's ubuntu with a "K" in front)? it was the only variant of Linux that I have ever used a decade ago and back then it was very good

KB3020369 not needed anymore. use KB3177467 V2 instead as KB3177467 replaces KB3020369. KB3177467 is required before installing new Win7 updates made in late 2018 & beyond

well almost, not ready for prime time, Dave-H. on the other hand, running the Win10 v1809 Media Creation tool now downloads build 17763.253 (v1809 + KB4480116 update), which means the 1809 installation media has been updated with the Jan. 2019 update

maybe that statement does not apply to certain editions of Windows 10 like the LTSB/LTSC editions, which get about 10 years worth of support & updates. oh yes I do run a Win10 LTSB 2016 version on one of my old PCs (using onboard nVidia nforce 430 / Geforce 6150SE graphics chipset) and it runs just fine. plus LTSB/LTSC does not get any "feature updates", meaning no upgrades to newer Win10 builds.

A widely known Win10 "activation" problem recently, jaclaz https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/11/08/windows_10_activation/ https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10s-activation-servers-suffer-issue-causing-pcs-lose-activated-status https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-users-left-baffled-and-mad-over-microsofts-activation-glitch/ https://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-confirms-windows-10-activation-issue-says-you-should-wait-523676.shtml though seems to be nearly fixed now: https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-users-seeing-their-erroneous-product-activation-issues-resolved/

check out this recent article from Softpedia news: https://news.softpedia.com/news/i-used-windows-7-for-one-week-and-now-i-like-it-more-than-windows-10-523609.shtml

the topic title says it all -so much for downloading individual hotfixes from Microsoft as they have recently shut down the MS Hotfix service https://www.askwoody.com/2018/born-brinkmann-microsofts-hotfix-service-is-no-longer-available/ https://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-might-have-killed-off-windows-hotfixes-523605.shtml https://www.ghacks.net/2018/11/05/microsofts-hotfix-service-is-no-longer-available/

Newegg does still sell some legit OEM versions of Windows 7 Pro

It is barely the same in all editions of Win10 as I checked myself - Personalize > Themes > desktop icon settings

well guys I think the OP should feel either justified or vindicated since the quality of these recent Win10 feature upgrades have seemed to have gone downhill. check out this recent article from The Register: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/10/23/microsoft_windows_10_crisis/ also check out one of Paul Thurrott's recent articles from his web site: https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/189344/windows-10-version-1809-suffers-from-yet-another-data-loss-bug

for this month for my relative's old Win8.0 32bit/x86 computer (don't ask why I'm using a 32bit version of Win8 - I have an old Intel D101GGC board on that PC using an Intel Pentium D cpu with 2gigs of RAM), I'll apply the KB4462929 monthly rollup (I'm more bold & daring than you Jody since I'm not afraid to install any recent monthly rollups) as well as the newest flash update and will skip the .NET 4.6.2 security updates for October

.4.7.2 not really necessary unless brand new specific apps actually require it - so far I found none. staying with .NET 4.5 Jody? better off going with .NET 4.6.2 in the long run as I use that on an old Win8.0 computer instead of v4.5.x

I am kinda late to responding this but read this ZDNet article how to upgrade from Win10 home to Win10 pro with little or no hassles

looks like the Windows 10 v1809 October 2018 Update seems to be released prematurely as a bunch of serious problems came up: https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-prepares-re-release-windows-10-october-2018-update https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-october-2018-update-problems-complaints https://www.windowscentral.com/fix-blue-screen-death-after-getting-october-patch-tuesday-windows-10 (warning: do NOT install nor update to the 1809 version if using any HP brand computer...yet) https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-has-pulled-windows-10-october-2018-update-users-files-go-missing

ask somebody with an active MSDN or visual studio (VS) subscription to get the LTSB 2015 (v1507) version (normally licensed to some enterprise users or those having valid volume licenses) for you, cc333. otherwise use google and move along

check if you have the KB4090450 security update installed - that was made for Server 2008 SP2 (and was the official "Spectre" patch released mid-March 2018). remove it, reboot and see what happens

before doing anything else, the very first update is to install the latest available Servicing Stack update (SSU) for Win8.1 manually download & install KB3173424 servicing stack update; also install KB3184143 update and run GWXControlPanel or Never10 to prevent any unwanted upgrades to Win10 for Win8 (or Win8.0) manually download & install KB3173426 servicing stack update and reboot; from past experiences with Win8, I had to restart the computer after installing the KB3173426 update edit: btw, the KB3110329 update does need to get installed, regardless of order (and whether the latest cumulative rollup is installed or not) as it is offered thru WU (windows update) on Win8/8.1 OSes

latest drivers for the Intel I219-V ethernet LAN adapter from Intel web site: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/82186/Intel-Ethernet-Connection-I219-V also apply latest available cumulative update for Windows 10 v1803

the last version of iTunes to support Vista was 12.1.3

make sure you block/hide the KB3163589 update on your Win8.0 computer, Jody! also don't forget to block/hide the KB2976978 update as well (oh yes there is also a version of KB2976978 for Win8.0 and not just for Win8.1) on a spare hard drive on my old HP m8417c computer running Win8.0 x64 Pro WMC edition, I got that annoying notice mentioned in MS support KB article 3163589, all because I may have accidentally installed that update thru Windows Update. I have uninstalled the KB3163589 update and have blocked it from being offered again from WU. I actually did run that GWX control panel app on that Win8.0 machine to change some reg entries so that I won't be upgraded to Win10

you will need either KB3020369 or KB3177467 servicing stack update installed first before installing newer updates beyond the KB3035131 and KB3033929 updates. go with KB3177467 as that one supersedes / replaces KB3020369. KB3035131 is an obsolete update as it is superseded / replaced by the KB3071756 update (MS15-085) for Win7 KB3071756 replaces KB3067505, KB3063858, KB3046049, KB3045999, KB3035131 updates

reaction from this Neowin article and from this Techpowerup forums topic the extension seems to benefit mostly big business / enterprise users using Win7 Pro or Win7 enterprise editions and changes nothing for small business / home users / consumers as support for "home" versions of Win7 used by consumers still ends Jan. 14, 2020.

Recently these articles came out mentioning about a Windows 95 app for recent Linux, Mac & Windows OSes: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/pining-for-windows-95-you-can-now-download-it-as-a-free-app/ https://www.neowin.net/news/you-can-relive-your-youth-with-windows-95-which-now-comes-as-an-electron-app https://www.zdnet.com/article/did-you-love-windows-95-its-now-a-free-app-for-macos-windows-linux/

the feeling is mutual, Dibya. I already gotten rid of all Java stuff from my friend's XP computer several years ago - never looked back I may also get rid of Adobe Flash on his XP computer by start of 2020

but in reality XP SP4 never panned out that way